Vertical louver doors



Oct. 6, 1964 E. G. STACK VERTICAL LOUVER DOORS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledSept. 24, 1962 .lrldrf m M Oct. 6, 1964 E- s. STACK VERTICAL LOUVERDOORS Filed Sept. 24, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 6, 1964 E. s. STACK3,151,665

VERTICAL LOUVER DOORS "iled Sept; 24, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 UnitedStates Patent 3,151,665 VERTICAL LOUVER DOORS Emmet G. Stack, was SW.Vista, Portland, Greg. Filed Sept. 24, 1962, Ser. No. 226,772 2 Claims.(Cl. 160206) This application is a continuation-in-part of applicationSerial No. 75,021, filed December 9, 1960.

My invention relates to louver doors of the vertical type.

The principal objective of my invention is to provide such a door thatis cheaper to fabricate, more simple, more rugged and much cheaper toinstall.

A further objective is to extend the use of the panel shown anddescribed in Patent No. 2,700,192, issued to me on January 25, 1955.

A still further objective is to provide better control over the overhungtype or" verticfl louver doors especially those for wide openings.

How this is accomplished is illustrated in .the accompanying drawings ofwhich FIG. 1 is an elevation (broken) of the louver panel; FIG. 2 is ahorizontal section on the line 22 of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a full sizeelevation (broken) through the panel showing the top and bottomconnections; FIG. 4 is a full size vertical section (broken) on the line4-4 of FIG. 3; FIG. 5 is a full size elevation (broken) showing theanchor panel stop means; FIG. 6 shows a plan view of the track and stoppins; FIG. 7 shows a plan view of the center panel support; FIG. 8 showsan end elevation of said support; FIG. 9 is a side elevation thereof;FIG. 10 is a side elevation of a pantagraph link connection; FIG. 11shows a plan view of a pantagraph link; FIG. 12 shows a side elevationthereof; P16. 13 is a plan view (top or bottom) showing the pantagrapharrangement for moving the panel; FIG. 14 shows the panel lap; FIG. 15shows the top and bottom support flanges positioned between the panelcover sheets; PKG. 16 shows the top track groove formed in the top doorjamb; FIG. 17 shows the upper track formed with a deep groove; FIG. 18shows an enlarged vertical section of the spring-supported pin shown inFIG. 4 provided with a tracl -contaot ball.

Throughout the drawings and the specification similar numerals refer tosimilar parts.

The panel of Patent No. 2,700,192 and several others of the sameconfiguration, granted to me, admit of many uses, such as, grain doors,house doors, and building panels for various purposes. The greatstrength inherent in the above panels is not required for the instantpurpose. Therefore, /8" plywood cover sheets separated /4" at the centerhas proven adequate for vertical louver door panels.

The louver panel P may be made of material other than plywood and may beof any suitable width and length. A panel 8%" in width looks well andfive cover sheets may be ripped from one four foot wide commercial sheetof plywood, hardboard, or other suitable material with a milimum ofwaste. The panel proper comprises two arched cover sheets 1 and 2 gluedtogether at their sides 3 for a distance of approximately and separatedon the longitudinal centerline 4 by a spreader 5 which may be rippedfrom a 'lieet of /4" plywood. in the drawings (see FIG. 2) this spreader5 has been made 1%" wide and has the edges thereof eased to provide anintimate contact between the spreader and the cover sheets and the coversheets and the flanges 6 of the panel supports 7 and 8. it is to benoted that one cover sheet serves as the haunches of the other coversheet.

In my vertical louver door I provide a guide or track 9 secured to thefloor F and a guide or track 10 secured to the top jamb T. These guidesor tracks 9 and 1! ex- Patented Oct. 6, 1954 tend from side jamb S toside jamb S of the door opening. Both tracks are similar in overallconfiguration except that the bottom track 9 is provided with a groove11 curved in cross section for the reception of the ball bearing 12mounted in the bottom panel support 7 while the top track 10 is providedwith a rectangular groove 13 for the reception of the ball bearingassembly 14 carried by the top panel support 8. Both tracks 9 and 19 maybe an extrusion of a hard tempered aluminum alloy such as 6063T-6.

The top and bottom panel supports 8 and 7 are similar in overallconfiguration and may be aluminum die castings of the alloy noted above.The flanges 6 on both the top and bottom panel supports 8 and 7respectively, fitsnugly over the panel P on the centerline 4 as shown inFIGS. 1 and 2 and are further clamped to the panel P by the screw 15.

In FIG. 15 the flanges 6 on both the top and bottom supports 8 and 7respectively, are positioned between the cover sheets 1 and 2--eachcover sheet being secured to its respective flange 6 by a screw 15.

The boss 16 on the bottom panel support 7 is provided with a counterbore17 for the reception of a large ball bearing 12 and a pad of small ballbearings 18 which rest upon said large ball bearing 12. The weight ofthe panel P [is transferred through the bearings 18 and 12 to the track9 on the floor F. This construction permits the ball bearing 12 to bemoved along the groove 11 in the track 9 and the panel P supported bysaid ball bearing 12 to rotate about its vertical centerline or axis 4.The ball 12 is prevented from dropping out of its counterbore 17 by theextension of the boss 16 crimped in below the centerline of said ballbearing 12 as at 19.

The boss 2% on the top panel support 8 is provided with a counterbore 21for the reception of the pin 22 slidable therein. This pin has ashoulder 23 on which is supported the inner race 24 of the ball bearingassembly 14 whose outer race 24A is free to roll along the sides of therec tangular groove 13 formed in the track 16. The pin 22 is alsocounterbored for the reception of a coil spring 25 whose function is tojust keep the ball bearing assembly 14 positioned within the groove 13yet permit said assembly to be moved along said groove.

It is to be noted (FIG. 4) that the pin 22 does not extend to the bottomof the counterbore 21. As a consequence the panel P with its support 7may be raised vertically upwud to remove the ball bearing 12 from itsgroove 11 and incidentally the panel P or for that matter the wholeassembly of panels from their normal position between the tracks 9 and1%. This expedites the assembly and disassembly.

In FIG. 17 the upper track 19A is shown formed to provide a deep groove13A in which event the spring 25 may be dispensed with and the pin 22lengthened to rest upon the bottom of the counterbore 21.

In FIG. 16 the deep groove 13A is shown to be formed in the top doorjamb T. When said jamb T is used for the top track it should be made ofsome dense grain wood as hard maple.

Whenever the deep groove is used it should be wide enough to permit theball bearing assembly 14, or the solid roll 14A shown in FIG. 17, to beentered into or removed from the groove 13A in the assembly ordisassembly of the door panels P.

In the construction shown in FIG. 4 the boss 20 on the top panel support8 is raised into contact with the track 1% without raising the ballbearing assembly 14 when it is desired to remove the ball bearing 12from its groove 11 in the lower track 9.

In the construction shown in FIG. 17 the roller 14A is raised up intothe deep groove 13A when it is de- 3' sired to remove the ball bearing12 from its groove 11 in the lower track 9.. The function of the ballbearing assembly 14 is synonymous with the roller 14A. The groove 13Ashould be deep enough so that the roller 14A will never come intocontact with the bottom of said groove 13A.

Where the ball bearing assembly 14 is spring-supported as shown in PEG.4 the pin 22 is provided with a top counterbore 21A for the reception ofballs B for antifriction purposes should the spring 25 be more thansufficient to lift the pin and assembly. The use of the balls Beliminates close adjustment of the springs 25 in the several panels Pconstituting the door opening closing means. See FIG. 18.

FIG. 13 shows the pantagraph arrangement A used .with my invention. Asshown it comprises four long links 26 and one half link 27, the lengthof the long link 26 corresponding tothe width of a panel P as shown inFIG. 2. These links 26 are provided with a centrally positioned hole 28for the reception of the bosses 16 and 20 on the panel supports 7 and 8,respectively. These long and half links 26 and 27 are hingedly connectedto three long connecting links 29 and one half link 30 at predeterminedpoints. These links 29 and 30 are also provided with a centrallypositioned hole 28 for the reception of the bosses 16 and 20 of thepanel supports 7 and 8, respectively. At the predetermined points holesas 31 are provided in the a links for the reception of rivets (FIG. 10)as 32. FIG.

10 shows a washer preferably of nylon positioned between the connectinglinks.

It is quite apparent that the whole pantagraph arrangement A shown inFIG. 13 may be pre-assembled as a unit ready for the reception of thepre-assembled panels and their respective top and bottom panel supports.The centrally positioned link holes 28 are slipped over the bosses 16and 20 provided for them. At the top of the panel P the links rest uponthe top of the panel support 8 while at the bottom of the panelP thelinks of the pantagraph rest upon a collar 34 pressed on the boss 16 ofthe bottom panel support 7. See FIG. 4.

When the complete assembly is ready it may be positioned between the topand bottom tracks as a unit. It is pointed out that it may also beremoved from between said tracks as a unit.

In this pantagraph arrangement A the half width panel 35 (FIG. 13) ispositioned adjacent the side jamb S and is anchored against endwisemovement but is free to rotate similar to the full width panels 36adjacent thereto whose rotation has been previously described. In theinstant case the half width panel 35 is kept from longitudinal movementby the opposed pairs of longitudinally spaced upper and lower stop pins37 in the tracks 9 and 10. Each pair of pins 37 is adapted to impoundone of the bosses 16 and 20 between them. See FIG. and 6. It will beapparent, without illustration, that punchouts formed in the tracks 9and may function as do the pins 37.

The location of the holes 31 in the pantagraph links will now beconsidered. Assuming the opening to be 2'-8" between the side jambs S tobe closed by four panels P 8 /3" Wide and one half panel 4 3 wide withthe holes 31 spaced 6%" center to center. The above assumptions give anoverall extension of 2'8% for the five panels and a panel overlap of Theabove example should be clue enough for any one skilled in the art tofigure out the most satisfactory arrangement for the conditionsencountered.

The general idea behind the invention admits of modifications. Forinstance, the panel supports 7 and 8 may be spot welded as at 38 (FIG.7) to the panel links 26 and 27 adjacent thereto or they may be dowelledtogether, Further, the flanges 6 of the narrow top and The constructionpresented admits thin extruded tracks 7 and links, die cast narrow panelsupports, and commercial bearings, which makes for an inexpensivearrangement. There are no rights and lefts. The top track may be securedto any type of overhead jamb construction. The floor track may rest uponthe floor, beset flush therewith, or it may rest upon the carpet if thesame extends through the opening. The floor takes all the weight and sothe opening may be four feet wide or forty and more. Since the panelsare anchored at the floor a baby, a dog, or a thief cannot push thepanels aside and crawl under.

I claim: 7

1. In a bottom-supported top-guided vertical louver door which includesa plurality of full Width panels disposed in vertical parallel relation,21 single half width panel in vertical parallel relation to said fullWidth panels at one side thereof, said panels being movable from anopened position wherein they are disposed in abutting face to facerelation toa closed position wherein they are disposed in substantiallyedge to edge relation, a door opening including frame members formedwith upper and lower horizontal grooves providing upper and lowertracks; the improvement including in combination, a top panel supportsecured to the top of each panel on the vertical median line of eachfull width panel and on the edge or" said half width panel each supportincluding a cylindrical boss with a vertically disposed pin having afree upper end projecting upwardly therefrom, a horizontally disposedroller rotatably mounted on said free upper end of each pin said rollerbeing engaged with the. upper track groove for movement therealong, saidupper track groove being deeper thanthan the width of the roller plusthe depth of the lower track groove, each panel having a bottom panel asupport in vertical alignment with its top panel support each panelsupport including a cylindrical boss having a ball projecting therefromin rotatable engagement with said bottom track groove to rotatablysupport said panels for movement along said groove, means preventinglongitudinal movement along said track groove while permitting freerotation of said half width panel, top and bottom pantagraph means eachmounted on the panels for moving and rotating the panels to and fromsaid open and closed positions, all of said panels, pantagraph means androllers being adapted to be raised as a unit sufficiently to permit saidball to clear the bottom track groove and allow removal of said doorfrom said frame.

2. The structure of'claim 1 in which the means preventing longitudinalmovement of the half width panel includes pin-like members projectingfrom both the top and bottom tracks on each side of the panel supportbosses of the half width panel said pins being 'of a length and sospaced as to prevent longitudinal movement of said bosses, allow treerotation thereof, and permit their removal from between said pins.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,272,864 Schoening July 16, 1918 2,577,884 Garubo Dec. 11, 19512,579,910 Dixon Dec. 25, 1951 2,616,497 McCarthy Nov. 4, 1952 2,860,701Wood et a1 Nov. 18, 1958 2,938,578 Stull May 31, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS26,855 Finland Feb. 10, 1954

1. IN A BOTTOM-SUPPORTED TOP-GUIDED VERTICAL LOUVER DOOR WHICH INCLUDESA PLURALITY OF FULL WIDTH PANELS DISPOSED IN VERTICAL PARALLEL RELATION,A SINGLE HALF WIDTH PANEL IN VERTICAL PARALLEL RELATION TO SAID FULLWIDTH PANELS AT ONE SIDE THEREOF, SAID PANELS BEING MOVABLE FROM ANOPENED POSITION WHEREIN THEY ARE DISPOSED IN ABUTTING FACE TO FACERELATION TO A CLOSED POSITION WHEREIN THEY ARE DISPOSED IN SUBSTANTIALLYEDGE TO EDGE RELATION, A DOOR OPENING INCLUDING FRAME MEMBERS FORMEDWITH UPPER AND LOWER HORIZONTAL GROOVES PROVIDING UPPER AND LOWERTRACKS; THE IMPROVEMENT INCLUDING IN COMBINATION, A TOP PANEL SUPPORTSECURED TO THE TOP OF EACH PANEL ON THE VERTICAL MEDIAN LINE OF EACHFULL WIDTH PANEL AND ON THE EDGE OF SAID HALF WIDTH PANEL EACH SUPPORTINCLUDING A CYLINDRICAL BOSS WITH A VERTICALLY DISPOSED PIN HAVING AFREE UPPER END PROJECTING UPWARDLY THEREFROM, A HORIZONTALLY DISPOSEDROLLER ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID FREE UPPER END OF EACH PIN SAID ROLLERBEING ENGAGED WITH THE UPPER TRACK GROOVE FOR MOVEMENT THEREALONG, SAIDUPPER TRACK GROOVE BEING DEEPER THAN THAN THE WIDTH OF THE ROLLER PLUSTHE DEPTH OF THE LOWER TRACK GROOVE, EACH PANEL HAVING A BOTTOM PANELSUPPORT IN VERTICAL ALIGNMENT WITH ITS TOP PANEL SUPPORT EACH PANELSUPPORT INCLUDING A CYLINDRICAL BOSS HAVING A BALL PROJECTING THEREFROMIN ROTATABLE ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID BOTTOM TRACK GROOVE TO ROTATABLYSUPPORT SAID PANELS FOR MOVEMENT ALONG SAID GROOVE, MEANS PREVENTINGLONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT ALONG SAID TRACK GROOVE WHILE PERMITTING FREEROTATION OF SAID HALF WIDTH PANEL, TOP AND BOTTOM PANTAGRAPH MEANS EACHMOUNTED ON THE PANELS FOR MOVING AND ROTATING THE PANELS TO AND FROMSAID OPEN AND CLOSED POSITIONS, ALL OF SAID PANELS, PANTAGRAPH MEANS ANDROLLERS BEING ADAPTED TO BE RAISED AS A UNIT SUFFICIENTLY TO PERMIT SAIDBALL TO CLEAR THE BOTTOM TRACK GROOVE AND ALLOW REMOVAL OF SAID DOORFROM SAID FRAME.